St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-05-12
For the Caledonlan.
HOLIDAY SAUNTERINGS.
Sacramento, April 81.


Iehem.--The Iron vvorks.--Somethin.
about the MOravians.
Dear Mr.. Editor: l have been hope
ing for some time to write you a spring
letter. Easter Sunday l thought
would have to be summer one, ant
when the next Sunday came white
article seemed quite appropriate, snow
covered the discouraged grass, and tn
economical housekeeper was compelled
to resume payment from the "clOse'
for the season" furnace. The sprini
styles have been shabby seal-skins ant
heavy wooden dresses with little sug
gestion of either comfort or beauty
Despite all the discomfort the Easte
lilies came and the glad promise o
resurrection cheered and lifted up hun
dreds of sad hearts.
For 40 days had Fair Fashion knel
by the snowy cloths of her affairs. FO
40 days had she eaten the unleaveI
bread of sincerity and of truth hel
champagne and her truffles locked
away in the rigid keeping of the peni
tential butler. For 40 days had the
thoughts of the world, the flesh, and
his royal majesty of the netherlands
been far away.
For 40 days had she knelt in holy
worship under the warm-hued blazOn-
ry of the sacred martyrs that in hel
warm-hued raiment and her stained
glass attitude she typified, forgetting
in the calm, grand sweep of the organ
music the nervous worldly thrills that
had been born on dancing nights OF
Often bach and of Strauss. For 40 days
had she yelled her idols of brass to
worship at the shrine of the Amounted,
and while the Rector made for her
peace and the choir made for her praise
and the milliner made for her the bon
net holy calm was hers-a rest I'M
speakable and peace that passeth
words. Sackcloth and ashes had she
worn in dutiful cOnscientiOusness, and
though the sack clothing had been
tailor made and the ashes had sister
ly vraisemblance to Herbert powder,
yet had her duty been truly done, and
the cynic could find no blame.
From Bethlehem in the land of
Pennsylvania came an invitation too
tempting to be refused and so we went
steaming away and first looked over
the iron town on Good Friday. 1t is
most delightfully."- situated and barring
the smoke and cinders which really
might be worse, seems charming
place for people to have their homes.
No words of mine can do justice to
the hospitality of the friends who en-
tertained us. The home was beautiful,
the family interesting and since first
impressions are sure to be lasting, it
will be long before the picture of home
life reaches what Mr.. Beecher called
the "forgettery." We took great in
terest in a visit we paid at night to the
Bethlehem iron works. The buildings
cover Is acres. In the strange white
light the wOrkmen darling about look
ed like demons. We wondered if the
author of "She" might not have origi-
mated the poetical and soothing figure
of the "hOt-pOt" from seeing huge cal
drOns of white hot iron. Secretary
Whitney has recently awarded to this
company contracts for furnishing steel
gun forgings and steel armor plates for
new war-ships at a total cost of five
million dollars.
Apart from social delights and iron
sights Bethlehem had yet another in
terest for us. 1t is now the centre of
the Moravian interests and we found
much to attract us in the manners of
that peculiar people. Easter morning
we were wakened at four o'clock by
the music of the trOmbOnes which are
played at the corners of the streets.
Deaths are announced by the playing
of these instruments from the church |
tower, the tunes being so varied as to |
indicate the age and sex of the depart
ed. At quarter past five we were in
the plain, neat church. In these days |
of red and green and blue churches it |
is rather refreshing to the eye to see
again a clear white wall with no mod
ern decoration. The service consisted |
entirely of reading the creed, which
exquisite beauty, perfect Or
thodoxy, (if there be such thing) and
a long form of sound words. 1t is fire.
quently interspersed with music. The
voice was cultured to the
last degree and sufficiently solemn to
increase the native impressiveness of
the service. When about half con-
GUIDED the congregation went in pro-
cessiOn to a hill near at hand on whose
slope lies the peaceful burial place of
the community. The slabs of stone
lie fat on the ground looking east
ward and bear the simplest records of
the dead. When there the audience
a hollow square, within which
we're the graves; among them the cler-
yyman and players on instruments
stood. Into the still sweet morning
lir fioated those grand old words:
THE graves of all his saints Christ blest,
And softened every bed
Where should the dying members rest
But with the dying Headf'
The service must be touching i'm the